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1997 Acura Cl

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 1997 Acura Cl do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 52.

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

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Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

All reported categories

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

25 reports with mileage · 57 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Power Train. Review the 20 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 15 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Air Bags. Review the 14 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

5 crash reports0 fire reports4 injury reports

Engine And Engine Cooling complaints

6 reports
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Mileage unknown · Dec 22, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling

97 ACURA, PURCHASED IN MAY 2003, HAD 4 BULLETINS ON THE SAME ITEM, FRONT BALANCER OIL SHAFT SEAL WAS BAD AND FAULTY. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THIS WAS AND STILL IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. HOWEVER, NO ONE EVER MADE THIS MAJOR PROBLEM A RECALL BUT A BULLETIN. WHICH MEANS THAT ACURA SEND OUT BULLETINS FOR THE CUSTOMER AND THEY ONLY HAD 2 Y…

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97 ACURA, PURCHASED IN MAY 2003, HAD 4 BULLETINS ON THE SAME ITEM, FRONT BALANCER OIL SHAFT SEAL WAS BAD AND FAULTY. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER THIS WAS AND STILL IS A MAJOR PROBLEM. HOWEVER, NO ONE EVER MADE THIS MAJOR PROBLEM A RECALL BUT A BULLETIN. WHICH MEANS THAT ACURA SEND OUT BULLETINS FOR THE CUSTOMER AND THEY ONLY HAD 2 YEARS TO GET THIS REPAIRED BY ACURA. ON 21 DECEMBER 03, MY ACURA BEGAN TO LEAK SERVERLY. SO I TOOK IT TO AN AUTOMOTIVE SHOP TO HAVE IT REPAIRED. BEFORE THE ENGINE BLEW. MECHANIC STATED THIS WAS A MAJOR PROBLEM, SO I HAD IT REPAIRED AT MY ONE EXPENSE, $450. THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NATIONAL RECALL ON THIS DUE TO THE FACT THIS PROBLEM DID, DOES, AND STILL WILL BLOW AND ENGINE.*AK

NHTSA ODI #10050962

Mileage unknown · Oct 31, 2001
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHILE DRIVING SHAFT SEAL BROKE, CAUSING DAMAGES TO TIMING BELT AND OIL LEAKAGE. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #898578

Mileage unknown · Oct 30, 2001
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingExterior Lighting

ABS LIGHT COMES ON, AND WITH THAT A NOISE IS HEARD IN THE SYSTEM, ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY GO TO THE FLOOR WHICH EVENTUALLY STOPS VEHICLE, ABS LIGHT STAYS ON, CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT ABS IS LEAKING. *AK DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND REPLACES OTHER MAJOR PARTS OF THE VEHICLES, SUCH AS THE A…

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ABS LIGHT COMES ON, AND WITH THAT A NOISE IS HEARD IN THE SYSTEM, ENGINE LIGHT ALSO COMES ON, WHEN APPLYING BRAKES THEY GO TO THE FLOOR WHICH EVENTUALLY STOPS VEHICLE, ABS LIGHT STAYS ON, CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED THAT ABS IS LEAKING. *AK DEALER HAS REPAIRED AND REPLACES OTHER MAJOR PARTS OF THE VEHICLES, SUCH AS THE ALTERNATOR AND STARTER, EGR VALVE WAS REPLACED DUE TO THE ENGINE LIGHT COMING ON, BRAKE LIGHT, TRANSMISSION WAS SERVICED, THE WINDOW REGULATOR WAS REPLACED*ET1.LEFT FRONT WINDOW DOES NOT GO UP,2.LEFT FRONT DOOR REGULATOR,3.HIGH MOUNT BRAKE LIGHT,4.EGR VALVE 5.STARTER

NHTSA ODI #898468

Mileage unknown · Jun 26, 2000
Engine And Engine Cooling

VEHICLE SMOKES EXCESSIVELY, AND TEMPERTURE GAUGE IS OVER THE RED MARK. ALSO, THERE IS RATTLING NOISE UNDERNEATH THE HOOD.*AK

NHTSA ODI #864251

Mileage unknown · Jul 1, 1998
Engine And Engine CoolingStructure

OIL PAN SEALS LEAK.

NHTSA ODI #537274

Mileage unknown · Sep 3, 1997
Engine And Engine Cooling

WHEN TRAVELING THE VEHICLE WILL STALL AND HESITATE. CONSUMER STATED FOOT IS ON THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE WILL STALL. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DEALER, DEALER HAS YET TO REPLACE ANY PARTS. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ODI #815983

Official recalls

2

02V120000 · Electrical System:ignition:switch

May 16, 2002

ON CERTAIN SEDANS, COUPES, HATCHBACKS, AND SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, ELECTRICAL CONTACTS IN THE IGNITION SWITCH CAN DEGRADE DUE TO THE HIGH ELECTRICAL CURRENT PASSING THROUGH THE SWITCH WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: WORN CONTACTS COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL WITHOUT WARNING, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE IGNITION SWITCH. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 14, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009 OR ACURA AT 1-800-382-2238.

99V069000 · Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Ball Joint

May 10, 1999

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH BALL JOINTS THAT CAN PREMATURELY WEAR OUT AND, IN THE WORSE CASE, THE BALL JOINT WOULD SEPARATE CAUSING THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ALSO STEERING CONTROLLABILITY WOULD BE REDUCED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.